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UK 'green' electric company gives discounted price to EV owning customers

Discussion in 'EV (Electric Vehicle) Discussion' started by GrumpyCabbie, Feb 7, 2014.

  1. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    My electric company generate and provide 100% 'green' electric to their small customer base.

    They're also cheaper (albeit by a small amount) that the other companies available.

    They started their own national EV charging network which is free to any EV owner (don't have to be an electric customer!) upon free registration. It's mainly on the UK motorway network and mostly consists of multi-standard fast(er) chargers.

    Our Electric Highway - For The Road - Ecotricity

    They've now brought out a new product where they actually give a small discount off their already cheap rates to EV owning customers (subject to proof obviously) equal to 1000 miles travel.

    Green Electricity + Car - For The Road - Ecotricity

    Nice that there is support out there. Tesla in the US have provided a national charge network for Tesla cars, and will provide 3 such chargers in the UK!?! but my electric company provide free charging to any electric car and discount electric rates for such owners too. Good that such companies put their money where their mouth is.
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    wow, that's pretty cool!
     
  3. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    It wasn't a plug for them, more to show that it takes the relatively small players like my electric company and Tesla (compared to the likes of Ford etc) to do something constructive.

    If my electric company who only have 100,000 customers can introduce a national ev charging network, then why couldn't their larger competitors? And if Tesla are rolling out a network, then what couldn't Nissan?
     
  4. Sagitar

    Sagitar Junior Member

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    They don't look particularly cheap to me Grumpy. Even if I include the green car discount, their price is still higher than I am paying to Scottish Power.
     
  5. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    I guess it depends on where you live and how much you use. They're 2p a unit cheaper than Npower who are my area supplier.

    And when you say Scottish Power are cheaper; by how much?

    I like Ecotricity as they put their money where their mouth is. For me they're cheaper, but even if they weren't I would support them for the work they do; a free EV network for instance. They're also a UK company and all profits and tax are more likely to be paid here, unlike SP who are owned by a Spanish company and profits go there.

    I know it's a personal thing but 'we' all moan about outsourcing or losing UK jobs, but then innocently support such actions by our own action or inaction. Generalising I know, but I try to live by my actions. Same as driving a Prius. No point complaining about the air quality and driving a diesel, as many do.
     
  6. Sagitar

    Sagitar Junior Member

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    I think you would need to put in your own usage numbers to get a direct comparison - that is what I did. Scottish Power came out cheapest. I use Martin Lewis's site (The Cheap Energy Club) to tell me which deal is currently best.
     
  7. Lutchenko

    Lutchenko Will Perrin

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    I like the sound of that.
    I still really like the idea of having a plugin EV / hybrid
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    how much is a kwh?
     
  9. Lutchenko

    Lutchenko Will Perrin

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    Almost exactly 1000 wh :)
     
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    LOL, i mean how much does it cost?:cool:
     
  11. Lutchenko

    Lutchenko Will Perrin

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    I know I'm sorry I couldn't resist lol
     
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    good one, set myself up.:p
     
    Lutchenko likes this.
  13. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    For me in the north of the country it's £0.1724p a unit with Npower (the big supplier) and Ecotricity are quoting £0.1570p (28.2 US cents per kwh). There is a further small discount if I had an electric car. Both those figures include tax.

    To Sagitar. I did look at the comparison sites and in my area the cheapest was only £40 a year less for my area and usage patterns. £10 every 3 months extra for the extra work this company do was worthwhile to me.
     
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i wouldn't mind paying more for green power, nevermind less! not many options around here tho, and gas/coal/oil is just going to continue to go up.
     
  15. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    Yeah I forgot to add that the company produce most of their own 'green' renewable electricity and purchase other renewable electricity to make up any shortfall. They don't have shareholders as such and reinvest most profits into installing new green powerplants - wind turbines and solar. They're upfront about what they can and can't do and even provide stats showing such;

    Real Time Wind Energy Production - Our Green Energy - Ecotricity

    How Green Is Your Energy Company? - For Your Home - Ecotricity